The dress rehearsal ahead of the Miss Universe Norfolk 2013 final at Dunston Hall Hotel on Sunday, February 10. Photo: Julia Holland at All About Image.

Twenty young women were in the final of the competition which took place tonight at Dunston Hall Hotel, near Norwich, and during the competition they all wore bracelets in tribute to 23-year-old Olga Demina, from Old Catton, who had been due to enter the pageant but died of cancer in August last year.

The pageant included an interview round, casual wear round, swimwear round and evening wear round, before the new Miss Universe Norfolk was announced, and the winner will be revealed in the Norwich Evening News on Tuesday.

Louise Harris, one of the regional directors of Miss Universe Norfolk, said there were two main aims of the competition – to empower young women in Norfolk and to raise money for charity – and she said they have seen all of the women go on “an incredible journey” as they prepared for the final over the past four months.

Ahead of the final the competitors took part in self-development events, walked barefoot over hot coals, and raised nearly £2,500 for the Hemraj Goyal Foundation which supports the children’s charity Strongbones. Some of the competitors will also be taking part in the One Billion Rising campaign to end violence against women.

The winner and runners-up, winner of the public vote and entrant who raised the most money for charity, will go forward to the Miss Universe Great Britain final in Birmingham in June, and the winner of that will represent the UK at Donald Trump’s Miss Universe.

I'd love to know how women are "empowered" by wearing swim wear?? Honestly, this is the 21st Century...objectifying women should be frowned upon, not gleefully written about...somehow seems even worse that it is a female journalist responsible for this. Why not celebrate intellectual or business achievements? Nah...might give impressionable young women ideas above their station...and we can't have that. And yes, before anyone points out the obvious....I have a face like the proverbial bulldog licking nasty stuff off a nettle...and a figure not far behind it.... ;))

I'd love to know how women are "empowered" by wearing swim wear?? Honestly, this is the 21st Century...objectifying women should be frowned upon, not gleefully written about...somehow seems even worse that it is a female journalist responsible for this. Why not celebrate intellectual or business achievements? Nah...might give impressionable young women ideas above their station...and we can't have that. And yes, before anyone points out the obvious....I have a face like the proverbial bulldog licking nasty stuff off a nettle...and a figure not far behind it.... ;))